Filling-detecting device for looms



Nov. 25, 1192@ am p. KEEGN FILLING DETECTING DEVICE FOR Looms Filed Feb.1l, 1994 l La Fi Q". l.

Patented 25, i924.

PATRICK KEEGAN, F FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSEGNQR TO DRAPER COR-PORATION, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CRPGB/ATION OIF MAINE.

FILLING-DETECTNG DEVIE EUR LOOMS.

Application led February 11, 1924:. Serial No. 691,939.

To all lwhom t may concern."

Be it known that I, PATRICK KEEGAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Fall River, county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts,have invented an lfmprovement in Filling-Detecting Devices for Looms, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representinglike parts.

This invention relates to a filling detecting device for looms such ascommonly employed to detect the exhaustion or breakage of the fillingand thereupon effect a change in the operation of the loom. Such devicesare usually provided in connection with automatic weit replenishinglooms either to effect the stoppage of the loom or the replenishment ofthe filling whenever the filling breaks or becomes exhausted.

rl'he device comprises a so-called fork carried by a slide and adaptedto cooperate with a hook on the usual vibrating weft hammer of the loom.So lo-ng as the filling 2% is properly laid in front of the fork thefork is rocked at each beat-up of the lay into a position where itcannot engage the hook. lf, however', the filling is absent from infront of' the filling fork upon the beat-up, due to breakage orexhaustion, then the filling fork engages the hook and the slide iscarried forward with the weft hammer and this motion is utilized toeffect the desired change in the operation of the loom such as thestoppage of the loom or the automatic replenishment of the filling.

Lint, waste and broken filling ends not infrequently accumulate duringthe operation of weaving to such an extent as occasionally to preventthe proper cooperation of the filling fork and hook either by preventingthe filling fork from engaging the hook or by maintaining the fillingfork in engagement with the hook. The object of the present invention isso to construct the filling detecting device as to prevent such anundesired accumulation of' lint, waste and filling ends and to ensurethe proper cooperation of the filling fork and hook and further toenable the condition of the filling 0 fork and hook to be observable atall times by the operator. v

The nature and object of the invention will appear more fully from theaccompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointedout in the claims.

ln the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a filling detecting device embodying apreferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical cross section taken on the line 3-3 F ig. 2and showing the filling fork engaging the hook carried by the wefthammer;

Fig. 4L is a detail elevation of' a modified form of the invention.

The general construction and operation of a filling detecting mechanismof this nature is so well known and familiar to those skilled in theweaving art that it will only be necessary here to illustrate anddescribe those parts particularly concerned with the present invention.

The slide 1 is usually mounted on the breast beam of the loom so as toslide forwardly and rearwardly thereon and is yieldingly held projectedrearwardly toward the lay. This slide terminates at the rear in a pairof transversely separated arms 2. The filling fork comprises a body ifulcrumed on a stud 5 extending between and mounted in the rear end ofthe arms 2. The tines 6 of the fork extend downwardly from the. body andthe tail 7 which is loop-shaped extends forwardly from the body. Theusual vibrating weft hammer 8 of the loom projects upwardly between thearms 2 which thus straddle the weft hammer and this weft hammer carriespivoted to its upper end at 9 a hook l0 which rests upon a bar 1lextending transversely between the arms 2.

If the filling is properly laid by the shuttle it will be carried by thelay, and usually e5 by a grid-like device supported on the lay, againstthe t-ines 6 of the fork thus rocking the fork on its stud 5 and raisingthe tail 7 so that it cannot catch upon the hook 10. If, however, thefilling is broken or exhausted there is nothing to swing the forli whenthe lay beats up and the fork will remain in the position shown in Fig.3 in engagement with t-he hook 10. Consequently when the wett hammer 8swings torwardly the filling fork and with it the slide 1 will beAcarried forwardly and this movement utilized to effect the desiredchange in operation of the loom.

Owing, as has already been pointed out, to the occasional accumulationof lint, waste or broken filling ends, thetail 7 of the filling fork.may not effect the desired cooperation with' the hook 10. Such anaccumulation may prevent the tail 7 from catching on the hook or it maycause these parts so to adhere' together as to prevent theirseparation.. This is prevented by the present invention.

For this purpose the arms Q` at their rear portions are extendedupwardly, preferably in the generally triangular shape 12. The arms 2"with the triangular extensions 12 are. connected at the rear by the wall13. The space between the triangular extensions 12 in front at: the topis preferably enclosed by atransparent and preferably removable window.For this purpose the top front edges 14 are grooved at their inner sidesand: a plate. 15 o glass, celluloid or other transparent material isslid into these grooves.V

There is, thus formed a hood enclosing at.. they top and therear thespace between ther-arms of they slide in which the fork swings:v Thusaccumulation of lint, waste orrilling ends in the vicinity of thefilling fork and hookV is eifectually prevented. Thetransparentwindow:enables the operator at allgtimesto-have an unimpededview of the fork and the hook` and thus to observe its condition.. Theremovable feat-ure of the window. which is effected bysliding the plate15 upwardly out of the hood in the grooves enablesthe operator to havetree access to the filling; fork and hook.

Lmodii'ed forni of the invention is shown Figli which illustrates a hoodof the character above described adapted to be appliedy toa usualtype oflling fork slide. This construction comprises vertical walls 16 andv a Vrear wall 17 which desirably are forme'dfintegral and" may be cast orformed of 'sheet metal, the sidev wall 1.6 being adapted to be securedto the slide arms 2 by. screws 18 or other suitable fasteners. The hoodcomprises a. suitable closure or cover,I 19 which may be made of anysuitable material 'and which, as illustrated in Fig. 4L,is hinged at itsupper end to the rear wall 17. otlie' cover. Desirably the cover orclosure 19 is made in whole or in part of a transparent material inorder that the opera tor may at any time observe the condition of thefilling fork.

There is thus presented a very simple and effective construction bywhich the character oi.' the filling detecting device is much improvedand danger from accumulation of lint waste or filling ends is prevented.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A vfilling detecting device tor a loom comprising a slide terminatingat its rear end in transversely separated arms adapted to straddle theusual hook on the vibrating veit hammer, a iilling fork ulcrumed be'-tween and in said arms and having ay for wardly extending tail tocooperate with the hook and downwardly extending tines, and a hoodenclosing at the top and rear the space between said arms in which thefork swings.

2. A lilling detecting device for a loom comprising a slide terminating`at its rear end in transversely separated arms adapted to straddle theusual hook on the vibrating weft hammer, a {illing fork fulcrumedbetween and in said arms and having a forwardly extending tail` tocooperate with the hook and downwardly extending tines, and a hoodhaving a transparent window and enclosing at the top and the rear thespace between said arms in which the forli swings.

8. A filling detecting device for a loom comprising a slide terminatingat its rear end in transverselyT separated arms adapted to straddle theusual hook on the vibrating weit hammer, a filling fork fnlcrumedbetween4 and in said arms and having a forwardly extending tail tocooperate with the hook and downwardly extendingv tines, and a hoodenclosing at the top and rear. the space between saidv arms in which thefork swings the said hood presenting in front at the top a downwardlyinclined, removable, transparent window.

11. A filling detecting device for a loom comprising a slide terminatingat its rear end in transversely separated arms adapted to straddle theusual hook on the vibrating weft hammer, a filling fork fulcrumed`between and in said arms and having a forwardly extending tail tocooperate with the hook and downwardly extending tines, and a hoodenclosing` at the top and rear the space between said arms and having aremovable closure'.

5. A hood for enclosing at the top and rear the space between therearwardly extending arms of a filling` fork slide comprising wallsextending upwardly from the respective slide arms, a connecting rearwall and a removable front wall.r

6. A hood for enclosing at the top and rear the space between therearwardly extending arms of a filling fork slide comprising wallsextending upwardly from the respective slide arms, a connecting rearwall, a removable front wall and means for securing the upwardlyextending walls to said slide arms.

7. A hood for enclosing at the top and rear the space between therearwardly ex- W tending arms of a filling fork slide compris ingvertical substantially triangular walls extending upwardly Jfrom therespective slide arms connected by an integral rear wall and a.removable front wall and means for securing said upwardly extendingwalls to said slide arms.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

PATRICK KEEGAN.

